If your September schedule includes a wedding or two (or three), you’re not alone! Wedding season is well underway, which means it’s time to brush up your gift-giving skills. For those who don’t know what to give, or how much to give, this guide should help. Although we’re not wedding experts, per se, we’ve worked with a lot of newlyweds to revamp their insurance after the big day. Here’s what we’ve learned so far:
Wedding Registries Help
Most people have wedding registries today—for a reason. Not only will they enable you to get the happy couple exactly what they want. But also, they prevent duplicate gifts. Thanks to online shopping, you may even be able to accomplish all your gift-giving without leaving the house! But wedding registries aren’t the end-all-be-all everyone assumes.
Think of them as guides, rather than firm rules. After unwrapping their gifts and actually trying to use them, many newlyweds realize they made some mistakes on their wedding registries. Are they really going to use of those ornate casserole dishes they requested? Or the fancy china with silver filigree? Probably not. But they will use more practical gifts like cleaning supplies or landscaping equipment. In fact, it’s the functional presents (if slightly less-glamorous ones) that married couples utilize most and come to value.
This year, it looks like robotic vacuum cleaners, weedwhackers, and air fryers are the big winners. But the real lesson on wedding registries is this: If a gift seems ridiculous, then it probably is. You don’t have to buy them everything on their registry. Go for what you feel they’ll actually use—even if they don’t realize it yet.
What About Cash?
Now here’s a question everyone asks during wedding season. Is it acceptable to give cash as a wedding gift? Well, in part, that depends on the family and couple in question. The location seems to affect the answer as well, since the South seems to be in favor of all-cash offerings. While it may conflict with wedding etiquette in the Northeast.
Household items were favored gifts back when many couples still needed to increase their basic inventory. Now that more people live together and even purchase homes jointly long before the big day, it makes sense to give cash instead. So, use what you know about the happy couple to make your decision. In some cases, you may even find “Cash for a Down Payment,” “Honeymoon Funds,” or Visa gift cards on the wedding registry.
If you’re just generally uncomfortable with giving cash as a gift, you have other options. You can always enclose gift cards instead—though we don’t recommend regifting ones you’ve already used. Or you can prepay for experiences the newlyweds can share together. Such as a dinner reservation at a nice restaurant close to their honeymoon hotel. Or a cooking class they can schedule at their convenience.
Don’t be afraid to have a little fun with this! Gift-giving should be enjoyable, and wedding season is a great excuse to get creative. For younger couples still struggling with “adulting,” why not make your own guide? Offer tips and coupons to local business who can help them secure their household. From pest control to joint homeowners’ and auto insurance. Not only are they more likely to use this particular gift, but also, you won’t have to worry about duplicates. If you need any help this wedding season, just let your friends at Freedom Insurance Agency know!
